1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing checks when settling a payment by check, and to a computer-readable recording medium storing a control program for implementing the check processing method.
2. Description of Related Art
When a check is used to pay for a purchase in a store, the store receives the check from the customer and typically confirms the validity of the check. If the check is valid, the payment information is printed on the check front and endorsement information is printed on the back of the check as required, and the check is then submitted to the issuing bank or clearing house for payment. Based on the information included on the check, the clearinghouse transfers funds from the account of the payer (check issuer) to the account of the payee (check recipient) to complete payment. Conventional check-based payments are thus completed by delivering the physical check from the store to the payment organization.
Electronic payment processing using checks has also progressed in recent years. This involves reading the account number and other data written or printed on the check at a checkout terminal in a store, and transmitting this data electronically to a server in the payment organization for processing. Electronically processing check payments thus improves efficiency because it is not necessary to physically deliver the check to the payment organization. Because it is not necessary to deliver the check to the payment organization, the check can be returned directly to the customer at the point of sale.
However, if the check used for payment is returned to the customer without keeping a record of the check, the store has no proof that goods were purchased using a check. This can lead to problems between the store and customer, such as disagreement over the amount paid and whether goods were purchased or not, and it can be difficult to satisfactorily reconcile these problems. This problem is conventionally resolved by the store scanning the check used for payment and keeping the scanned check image as proof of electronically processed check payments.
Checks are typically scanned at a relatively high resolution, normally 8-bit (256 gradation levels), and each image is therefore large in terms of required storage space. Furthermore, the store must archive the images of checks written by numerous customers for a considerable time, thus increasing the number of check images that must be stored. If the images are stored at the same number of gray levels used for scanning, the capacity of the storage device required to store the image will balloon and considerable time will be required to transmit the check images.
These problems can be avoided in part by converting the images to binary (1-bit) image data to compress the image data before storage. However, in order for the stored image data to be used as proof of a purchase by check, the check number recorded on the check, the signature of the payer (account holder), the amount, and other information must be shown in the image data. A wide range of background images are also used on the checks, and if the check background is dark or the ink used for the signature is light some of this required information could be confused with the background. This information could then be lost when the check image is converted to binary image data, making the binary check image no longer useful as proof that a purchase was made with the check.